Egypt deletes statement criticising Israel’s “fierce war”
The Egyptian State Information Service seems to have deleted a robustly worded statement condemning Israel’s genocidal military campaign in Gaza, The New Arab reported on September 22nd.
The original statement, which was published on September 20th, denounced Israel’s “fierce war of extermination” in Gaza and warned that the Egyptian military is in a position of full preparedness and alertness, The New Arab’s Arabic language edition reported.
On August 19th, Egypt deployed 40,000 military personnel in Gaza border to deter an Israeli push to forcibly displace Palestinians from the besieged territory into North Sinai.
Hours after the statement was published, it was replaced by another text which used more moderate language that referred to Israel’s “expansion of military operations” instead.
This amendment and rather drastic shift in tone comes after US news outlet Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had requested US intervention to curtail Egypt’s military build-up in the Sinai area.
Israel has previously sought to downplay the large-scale military deployment by suggesting it was executed in coordination with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). However, alarm in Israel over a direct military confrontation with Egypt has evidently climbed to new heights.
Netanyahu presented a list to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which he alleged that Egypt has been constructing new military infrastructure within the region. Netanyahu claimed that this violates the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.
Two Israeli officials also claimed that Egypt was extending airbase runways and building underground bunkers that could be used to keep missiles. An unnamed Israeli source said “what the Egyptians are doing in Sinai is very serious and we are very concerned,” according to Anadolu Agency on September 21st.
However, the Egyptian State Information Service articulated in a statement that “the forces present in Sinai primarily aim to secure the Egyptian borders against all risks, including terrorism and smuggling, and this is carried out within prior coordination with the parties to the peace treaty”, according to Anadolu Agency on September 21st.
The statement also added that Egypt had never breached an international treaty or agreement and maintains its intention to uphold the peace accord with Israel.
Israel, on the other hand, appears to have consciously breached the agreement since May last year, when it placed IDF units directly on the Egypt-Gaza border after seizing the Philadelphi Corridor.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu announced his “historic and spiritual mission” to execute the vision of “Greater Israel.” This refers to an expansionist fantasy that promotes the Israeli annexation of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, alongside parts of Jordan, Syria, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The New Arab, Maghrebi.org, Anadolu Agency, Axios
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